Sasines

Sasine Records

The principle way of recording land transfer was through a document (sometimes referred to as an instrument) called a "sasine." The sasine was proof that a change of ownership had taken place. There were two registers of sasines:

The general register usually contains land transactions that involved more than one burgh or county. They also recorded land transactions that affected Scottish interests in other countries, such as Nova Scotia.

The particular register usually contains land transactions that involved a single county or burgh (city).

General Sasine Records. Before 1617 some general sasine records were kept in the Notorial Protocol books (registers kept by notary publics of the legal transactions they recorded). These are at the Scottish Record Office at http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/.

Between 1599 and 1609, the Secretary of State kept some general sasine records in the Secretary’s Registers. Only seven of the original seventeen districts still exist. The Secretary’s Registers are indexed. Both the Scottish Record Office and the Family History Library have the original records and indexes (FHL book Q941 B4sp vols. 7, 16, 18, 23, 47, 55, 61; films 896586, 896590-1, 896593, 896602, 896604, and 896606).

From 1617 to 1868 general sasine records were kept in a register called the Old General Register.

From 1869 on, sasine records have been kept in the New General Register. This is available at the Scottish Record Office.

You can find Family History Library microfilm numbers for general sasine registers by looking in the Locality Search of the catalog under:

SCOTLAND - LAND AND PROPERTY.

You can also look in the following book:

Sasines, Services of Heirs, and Deeds Register. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Family History Library, 1981. (FHL book 941 R2ss; fiche 6054478.)

Particular Registers. The particular registers (sasine registers kept by counties) cover from 1617 to 1868. The original records are at the Scottish Record Office. The Family History Library has:

The minute books.

Abridgements, which give selected parts of original records for both the general register and the particular registers.

Indexes of persons and places to the abridgements, on microfilm.

Royal burghs often kept their own sasine registers. Until 1681 land transactions were also recorded in the Notorial Protocol books (registers kept by notary publics of the legal transactions they recorded).

The Family History Library and the Scottish Record Office have burgh registers. The chart below lists the burgh registers available and whether the Family History Library and Scottish Record Office have them.

Burgh Records Held by the Family History Library and the Scottish Record Office

A

D

Forres

K

New Galloway

S

Aberdeen*

Dingwall

G

Kinghorn*

Newburgh*

Sanquhar*

Annan*

Dornoch

Glasgow+

Kintore*

North Berwick*

Selkirk*

Ansturther Wester

Dumbarton*

H

Kirkcaldy*

P

St. Andrews*

Arbroath*

Dumfries*

Haddington*

Kirkcudbright*

Paisley

Stirling*

Auchtermucty*

Dunbar*

Hawich

Kirkwall*

Peebles*

Stranraer

Ayr*

Dundee*

I

L

Perth*

T

B

Dunfermline*

Inverbervie*

Lanark*

Pittenweem

Tain

Banff*

Dysart*

Inverkeithing*

Lauder*

Q

W

Brechin

E

Inverness

Linlightow*

Queensferry*

Whithorn

Burntisland*

Edinburgh*

Inverurie*

Lochmaben*

R

Wigtown

C

Elgin

Irvine*

M

Renfrew

Crail

Elie and Earlsferry*

J

Montrose*

Rothesay*

Cullen*

F

Jedburgh*

Mussellburgh

Rutherglen*

Culross*

Falkland

N

Cupar*

Forfar*

Nairn

*= The Family History Library has some burgh sasines for these burghs.

+= The Family History Library has some burgh sasines, but the Scottish Record Office does not.

You can find Family History Library microfilm numbers for the burgh registers in the Locality Search of the catalog under: